The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) expressed confidence on Wednesday the proposed Bangsamoro Organic Act would not be watered down even as the bicameral conference committee of Congress was finalizing it.

In an interview with the Manila Shimbun at the sidelines of the deliberations of the proposed measure in the Senate, Mohagher Iqbal, chairman of the MILF peace implementing panel, said the way they see it, the “quality”of the final text of the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law was “I think between 85 and 90 percent.”

Asked if the MILF would consider the bicameral conference bill a watered down bill, he said, “No, it’s not. Definitely, it’s not. It’s a good bill. Definitely, over and above the ARMM (Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao).”

Iqbal said the MILF was expecting better than what the committee has been working on.

But Iqbal acknowledged that they have to be realistic. “We are also realistic that we cannot get all what we want,” he said.

He said among changes the committee made from the draft of the Bangsamoro Transition Commission, the MILF-led body that prepared the BBL draft, were on policing and delineation of powers.

The MILF former chief peace negotiator refused to give details on the changes, saying it was better to wait for the final bill of the bicameral conference committee.

Iqbal said that the MILF would closely monitor until an enrolled bill is sent to the Office of the President for President Rodrigo Duterte's signature to ensure it would reflect what was approved by the bicameral committee.

“Although we are not direct participant of the process, but we see to it that we react and respond to whatever situations that we see that would require our immediate concern and action,” he said.

Duterte has said he would sign into law the proposed BBL before his actual State of the Nation Address on July 23. Celerina Monte/DMS